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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27901615">folklore</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverbelonely/pseuds/neverbelonely'>neverbelonely</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Labyrinth (1986)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Album: folklore (Taylor Swift), F/M, Happy Ending, Inspired by Taylor Swift, Mild Hurt/Comfort, One Shot, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:47:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,042</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27901615</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/neverbelonely/pseuds/neverbelonely</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>isn't it just so pretty to think all along there was some invisible string tying you to me?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jareth/Sarah Williams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>folklore</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Last night I watched the long pond studio sessions and today I spent most of the day writing this. I hope you're all well and enjoy reading it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>folklore</strong>
</p><p>
  <strong>part i: cabin in candlelight</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>i knew you’d come back to me</em>
</p><p>Sarah leant against the black lamp post, lifting a foot so she could adjust her shoe. If she had known there would be cobblestones, she probably would not have worn high heels. Then again, they did go so well with the green dress she had picked out for the evening, so she might have made the sacrifice anyway. She watched her friends stumble ahead of her, giggling, a little tipsy from the few drinks they had treated themselves to with their meal. Sarah had only allowed herself one, she did not like to let herself get carried away with alcohol, for fear of what might slip from her lips if she became careless. Consequently, she did not mind if her friends got a little ahead of her, she knew she could catch them up.</p><p>It was a perfect summer night, and as she took a few moments to rest her feet, she closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the warm air on her skin. The dinner had been in celebration of finishing all their exams, and she wanted to enjoy this feeling of accomplishment before the worry of what her future held began to set in. She was quite certain she had passed everything, so now with her degree behind her she had a whole world of choices before her.</p><p>“Penny for your thoughts?”</p><p>Sarah almost fell over as the soft voice suddenly interrupted the quiet of the street. Opening her eyes, she saw the Goblin King standing before her, actually holding a penny out to her in his gloved fingers. He looked different to when she had last seen him, all in soft whites and feathers, heartbreak in his eyes, now he stood looking something like human in a crisp white shirt, leather jacket, tight black trousers, and leather shoes, with what could be hope in his expression.</p><p>Sarah took the penny. “Well, now I’m thinking that this isn’t what I expected to happen next.”</p><p>He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “I do pride myself on being unpredictable.”</p><p>“You certainly are that.” She twirled the penny between her fingers, noticing his profile on one side, an outline of the Goblin Castle on the other. “What are you doing here, Jareth?” She looked up at him and felt a little thrill when she saw him visibly swallow as she said his name.</p><p>After a pause, he answered, “I thought it… appropriate, at this point of change and new starts in your life, to see if we might… reconcile.”</p><p>“How poetic of you.” Sarah considered him. “I wouldn’t mind that. I could probably use a friend like you right now.”</p><p>His expression was soft. “If you should need us…”</p><p>Sarah felt a smile growing on her face. Even later, after she had said goodbye to him and went to catch up with her friends, after she had glanced back and seen him leaning against the lamp post, watching her go, after she had kicked off her shoes and wriggled out of her dress and fallen into bed, and after she had fallen asleep and into dreams of goblins and castles and ballrooms, even then the smile did not disappear.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>giving me your weekends, i knew you</em>
</p><p>A few weeks later, Jareth asked her if she would let him take her away on a short holiday to celebrate her graduation, and, having not found any work yet apart from helping her father out at his law firm, she agreed. It was her first trip back Underground after wishing Toby away, and he took her to a cabin in the mountains that surrounded his kingdom. She was thankful that they did not go to the Labyrinth yet, she was not sure that she was quite ready.</p><p>The landscape and the cabin itself were both beautiful and it was a wonderful place to relax for a few days. They spent their days walking in the forest and swimming in the lakes (to Jareth’s disappointment, Sarah insisted on bathing suits), and their evenings playing boardgames (they won an equal number of games each, Sarah suspected Jareth was cheating each time he won) and reading. They did not kiss, and barely even touched, despite the romantic atmosphere. Sarah thought Jareth might be holding himself back, judging by the way she often caught him looking at her, but she did not make any moves herself yet. She was not sure she was ready for that either.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>part ii: the escapism chapter</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>you are not like the regulars, the masquerade revellers</em>
</p><p>A year later, they danced together at a masquerade ball. This was not a magical one and was in celebration of her parents’ wedding anniversary. Sarah had suggested the theme, and she told Jareth that as they danced.</p><p>He chuckled, his hand resting on her lower back, making her feel warm. “I do wonder where your fascination for masquerade came from.” He looked down at her and winked.</p><p>She looked up at him, admiring his silver mask, and asked a question she had thought about for a long time. “Was it really you, in the dream?”</p><p>“As if I would let anyone else dance with you, even if it was a dream version of myself.” He held her a little closer and Sarah smiled, resting her head on his shoulder. She felt more ready now, and later when they found themselves alone in her car, she was the one to lean over and kiss him.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>part iii: the sleepless nights chapter</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>it’s hard to be at a party when i feel like an open wound, it’s hard to be anywhere these days when all i want is you</em>
</p><p>Another year, and a few months, and Sarah found herself standing alone at a Christmas party. She had a glass of drink in her hand, but she did not feel like drinking it, she did not feel like doing much, really. Everyone was talking to each other happily, Toby was playing with some of their cousins, and Sarah should have been very happy too. She was not.</p><p>These days it was getting harder and harder to leave the Labyrinth whenever she visited, and in fact it was beginning to feel more like she visited Above and lived Underground. And when she was away from the Labyrinth, she felt like a piece was missing from herself. It was not just Jareth she missed when she was Above, although he was a large part of it, it was the Labyrinth itself too. She belonged there, and although she loved her family and friends, she did not belong Above anymore. She would come back and explain, she would visit them. But she could not stay here a moment longer, it felt wrong.</p><p>She put her glass down and moved out of the room. Someone might have called after her, but she did not hear them properly. She moved faster, needing to get out and away, and burst out of the front door into the rain.</p><p>She gasped as the cold water washed over her, and she suddenly felt 15 again, running in the rain, on the brink of something important.</p><p>“Jareth!” She called his name into the night, not sure if the drops of water on her cheeks were rain or tears.</p><p>He was suddenly there, gathering her into his arms, “What are you doing out here? It’s freezing, you’ll catch a chill.”</p><p>She looked up at him, trembling but not caring, she touched his cheeks. “Marry me.”</p><p>He stared at her. “Sarah?”</p><p>“Take me home and marry me.” She reached up and kissed him. “I don’t want to be here anymore.”</p><p>He looked at her for a moment, overwhelmed, then he returned her kiss.</p><p>When Toby looked out of the window, he saw them standing in the street, then he blinked and they were gone.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>my only one, my kingdom come undone</em>
</p><p>Sarah woke one night, wearing nothing but a ring on her finger that glittered in the candlelight, but warm underneath the blankets of the bed she shared with Jareth. She reached out, but his side of the bed was empty, and she looked up to see him sitting in an armchair by the fireplace in his dressing gown, a glass of whiskey in one hand.</p><p>“Jareth, come back to bed.” She called over to him softly.</p><p>His head turned slightly but he did not look at her properly, just shook his head a little.</p><p>She sighed, sitting up and running her hands through her hair. She nibbled on her lip for a moment before asking hesitantly, “Was it another nightmare?”</p><p>He nodded slightly.</p><p>“I told you, you can always wake me when you have one, if it helps you. It’s better than you sitting there, going over it in your mind and making yourself feel worse.” She watched him, the firelight making his pale hair seem gold.</p><p>He looked down, admitting quietly, “I didn’t want to trouble you.”</p><p>She shook her head. “We’re going to be married, that means we can trouble each other as much as we like.”</p><p>Jareth chuckled and finally looked over at her. “I’ll only trouble you if you promise to trouble me just as much in return.”</p><p>She grinned, “Oh, I will. Now come here.”</p><p>He smiled, putting down the glass and taking off the dressing gown before crawling into bed and into her arms.</p><p>She held him, running her fingers through his hair until he fell asleep again.</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>part iv: the saltbox house chapter</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>would it be enough if i could never give you peace?</em>
</p><p>Sarah tore through the castle hallways, knowing the way now by instinct. It was only a few moments before she was bursting into the bedroom she now shared with Jareth and jumping onto the bed, the healers knowing enough to not protest.</p><p>She took her king’s face in her hands, tears in her eyes. “They told me you were hurt.”</p><p>Jareth looked up at her as he lay on the bed, his skin pale. “The meeting with the troll king didn’t go as peacefully as we hoped, but I’ll be alright, just a few bruises, my love.”</p><p>She kissed him fiercely. “I won’t let them get away with this.”</p><p>“You can’t start a war every time I get into an argument, precious.” Despite his protests he returned the kiss and wrapped his arms around her.</p><p>“Yes, I can.” She kissed his forehead.</p><p>He sighed, a sad expression passing over his face. “Sarah,” he hesitated, unable to look into her eyes, “you could still leave, we’re not married yet, and this isn’t… This obviously isn’t a peaceful life. I’m sure you’ve realised by now, it’s not simple, or easy. You could go and I wouldn’t blame you.”</p><p>She waited until he looked up at her again, a stubborn look on her face. “I have realised that, and I’m here to stay, Jareth. I’d rather have chaos and danger with you than simplicity and calmness with someone else. I can’t be without you.”</p><p>He smiled, looking at her fondly. “I’d better heal quickly then.”</p><p>She nodded. “You’d better.”</p><hr/><p>
  <strong>part v: the yeah I showed up at your party chapter</strong>
</p><p>
  <em>one single thread of gold tied me to you</em>
</p><p>Sarah studied the gold band now sitting next to her engagement ring on her finger, enjoying the feeling of contentment it gave her. She looked at Jareth’s hand where it rested on her knee and smiled at the sight of the matching gold band on his own finger. His thumb gently rubbed against her skin and she looked up to see him smiling at her.</p><p>“Penny for your thoughts?” He asked softly with a wink, conjuring a penny and holding it out to her.</p><p>She took the penny and leaned in to kiss him. “I was just thinking about how it’s been a long time getting here, but now we’re right where we should be.”</p><p>“How sentimental of you,” he returned the kiss gently, “it makes me very happy to hear you say such things.”</p><p>She smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, “My king.”</p><p>She felt him smiling as he pressed a kiss to her temple, “My queen.”</p>
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